Under-plank for watertight balcony sub-floor system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a watertight sub-floor system for balcony or roof, in the form of a semi-rigid rollable plank of corrugated polymeric type installed in juxtaposition to form a waterproof flooring between boards and beams. Under-plank are unwrapped and cut at a desired length to avoid transverse junction with respect to water flow. Under-planks overlap parallel to water flow without loss of sealing. The corrugated under-plank has a design of crests and dips, crests widened and sloping to make possible the receiving of screws from deck board, thereby permitting the descent of water trickling from around the damaging screwing of the under-plank, and dips which bear no perforations from screwing and merely allow water to run off to protect wood structures of patios, balconies or terraces against moisture causing premature rot and to protect objects (bike, mowers . . . ) under a deck.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of sub-floor systems for balcony, patio or terrace of homes and roof.

Prior Art

Our research among patents revealed some systems that caught our attention:

CA 1,225,252 is a floor with twin cells to protect electric wire.

CA 2,340,371 is an evacuation drain for plumbing installed within a building.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,681 is a spacing for a hollow floor which supports piping for heating or air-conditioning.

EPO JP20000320034 is a sheet looking like a net for preventing infestation of termites.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

The general objective of this invention is to permit building galleries with openwork planks to shy from rain and snow, for storing objects and protecting a structure against water.

A specific objective is to prevent rainwater from being introduced and remain caught between the boards and the wooden structures which constitute the coating and the braces of a patio or a balcony. This invention allows the draining and the water running off far from the structures composing a patio, a balcony or a terrace.

Another objective is to allow an arrangement under a patio including humps and valleys positioned such that the rainwater will not run any more between the boards so as to maintain dry the lower part of a patio.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of an under-plank

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cut views according to line 2-2 of FIG.4

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an under-plank sheet

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a wood board

FIG. 4 is a side view of a patio juxtaposed with a building support

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description and in the accompanying drawings, the numeral numbers refer to identical parts in the various Figures.

FIG. 1 shows by an arrow a side view of an under-plank 20, a sloping section 23 surrounded by an accentuated left crest 26, central crest 27 and widened crest 35; on which water slips before arriving in the various zones of drainage of water 22, 22′. Zones of screwing 24, 24′ correspond to a zone where the screws of a deck board will be most effective when piercing the under-plank 20, between boards 30 which constitute a coating of a patio and beams 44. The zones of screwing 24 are defined in widened zones of screwing 38 and abrupt zones of screwing 42. An accentuated crest 26 is encased in an accentuated crest 28 which has an edge 48 of a connection zone 41 in order to allow the connection of another under-plank 20 to the following and to maintain the sealing between them. An overlap zone is according to the spacing between boards of the patio. A typical variation is 0 to ½ inch.

FIG. 2A Defines water flow direction first vertically along a screw or between two boards then along a slope and finally away from an observer and longitudinally of the board 30. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the assembly of a sub floor sheet 20 maintained in place with screws 32 between wood boards 30 of the coating of the patio and beams 44. Screws 32, 32′ are placed close to crests 35 and 26, but preferably in the widened zones of screwing 38, 38′ because the water infiltrated through the holes made by screws 32 will run out by slipping along the crests 35 and 26 in the zones of evacuation 22, 22′. There are indeed a broader zone of screwing 25 on the crest 27 which allows screwing and the drainage of water, but it is necessary to take care not to screw too close to the zones of evacuation 22, 22′ because water would then be retained at the place where the screw would be entering a metal shield. It is better to target the widened zone of screwing 38 which gives more play. Water infiltrating through a hole made in a deck board sub floor sheet 20 runs between the zones of evacuation 22, 22′ which are in the direction of the relief of these zones. The dotted arrows show the direction water can follow while running out on or between boards 30 of the covering of the patio before being evacuated by the zones of drainage of water 22, 22′ or by the flat bottom 40 of the zone of connection 41.

FIG. 2B shows a side view of the assembly of an under-plank 20 wherein boards 30 are closer than those of FIG. 2A to provide adjustment between similar boards 30 laid out on FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A shows an under-plank 20 which is corrugated, an under-plank strip appears rolled over itself several times such as for a grass roll.

FIG. 3B shows a deck wood board 30.

FIG. 4 shows a patio 46 juxtaposed at a building 58 with a slope 50 such as ¼ inch per foot in length in order to allow the drainage of water in the direction opposed to that of the building.

Applications

The applications of this invention relate to the protection of a patio, a balcony or a terrace deck board; a tight sub-floor for patio is a semi-rigid under-plank of corrugated polymeric installed between beams and transverse boards constituting the covering of the patio. The corrugated under-plank has a design of crests and dips, crests widened to make possible to receive of screws and dips where there will be no perforation of screwing, to allow the water run-off in order to protect the wood structures of patios, balconies or terraces against moisture causing their premature rot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A corrugated semi-rigid under-plank intended to be used between a board 30 and a structure element 44, the under-plank having a number of crests 26, 27, 28, 35 among which a group of widened crests 26, 35 intended to provide a spacing to receive screws 32, 32′ in a zone of screwing 24, 24′, and a flat upper zone 27 of screwing intended to receive a screw 27′ fixed upwardly.

The under-plank has a number of dips 22, 22′, 40 to provide support over the structure element 44, and to provide means of drainage of a liquid found on a surface of the board 30.

Water infiltrating around screws result in a flow of water along a slope 23, 23′ towards the dips 22, 22′ called zones of drainage,

The under-plank may be placed between two rows of boards, a top row a covering may be a floor, a patio, a balcony, a terrace, or a roof. The under-plank may be placed between two rows of boards, the lower row being beams or foundations of a floor, a patio, a balcony, or a terrace.

The under-plank may be a roof.

The under-plank being corrugated according to the higher and lower crests and whose top and base are all at corresponding height, each crest being a point of support.

The under-plank being sufficiently rigid in order to maintain its form during the screwing and when a significant load will be deposited on it in addition to the people who will circulate and objects which will be deposited on a first rank of boards defined as covering, the form also need to be maintained between the beams in order to preserve the functions of a sub floor.

The under-plank whose zones of drainage of water 22, 22′, 40 are intended to provide a means of drainage of rain, water coming from snow melt or water washing accumulating in a natural or artificial way.

The under-plank consisting of an impermeable material to water, the absence of porosity jams the passage of liquid through the under-plank.

The under-plank consisting of a material which does not deteriorate upon moisture, solar radiation and freezing and thaw.

The under-plank is made according to a central axis on in each side of the axis the crests are distributed symmetrically.

The under-plank is formed of crests laid out symmetrically, which implies the disposition according to a regular spacing of boards 30 which constitutes the covering of a patio, in order to allow a screwing in the zones of screwing 24, 24′ of the under-plank.

The under-plank whose crests have a sufficient height to allow the flow of water when it rains abundantly.

The under-plank whose lower crests correspond to zones of drainage of water 22, 22′.

The connection zone 41 having a flat dip 40, which is also a zone of drainage, terminated on a terminating edge 48 which matches a forward edge 36 of a second under-plank in order to allow the alignment of several under-plank 20 and the sealing of a sub floor.

The connection zone 41 allowing a variation in the adjustment of the under-planks thereby making possible adjusting boards for the covering of a patio laid out above the flat dip 40 of the connection zone 41.

The under-plank whose higher crests are indicated according to the shape of their slope; accentuated left crests 26, central 27 and the widened crests 35.

The under-plank whose zones of screwing 24, 24′ correspond to spaces on both sides of higher crests.

The under-plank whose zones of screwing of the widened crests 26, 35 are indicated according to the extent of the available zone for screwing; widened zone of screwing 38, 38′, and the abrupt zone of screwing 42, 42′ narrower than the wide zone of screwing.

The under-plank whose widened zones of screwing 38 and the abrupt zones of screwing 42 have a slope of at least 2 degrees which permit water to run out than instead of remain imprisoned between boards 30 of covering and the under-plank 20.

The corrugated under-plank is not necessarily rigid in composition so as to permit the wrapping thereof into a four foot diameter bundle for extension to one hundred feet. The board means may be a coating or a paste or fibreglass spread over the top surface of the under-plank for providing a roof surface without any top board element. The sloping sections may be provided with a clip arrangement to be maintained together. The number of crests 26, 27, 28, 35 and dips 22,22′ providing support over structural elements 44, a number of sloping sections 23 to provide a spacing to receive screws 32, 32′ in a so-called zone of screwing 24, 24′, sloping sections to provide means of drainage of a liquid found on a surface of a board 30 and around the screws, the zone of screwing being limited to the sloping sections, water infiltrating around screws, during screwing and afterwards, resulting in a flow of water towards the dips 22, 22′ and resulting in a zone of drainage.

It is to be clearly understood that the instant description with reference to the annexed drawing is made in an indicative manner and that the preferred embodiments described herein are meant in no way to limit further embodiments realizable within the scope of the invention. The matter which is claimed as being inventive and new is limited only by the following claims.

PARTS

-   20—Under-plank -   22—Zone of drainage of water -   23, 23′—Sloping sections -   24—Zone of screwing -   25—Boarder of screwing -   26—left accentuated Crest -   27—Central crest -   27′—Screw fixed upwardly -   38—Edge -   35—Right accentuated Crest -   30—Board -   32—Screw -   35—Right widened Crest -   36—Forward edge -   38—Widened Zone of screwing -   40—Flat bottom of the connection zone 41 -   41—Connection zone -   42—Abrupt Zone of screwing -   44—Structural element -   46—Patio -   48—Terminating edge -   50—Slope -   52—Beam -   54—Support -   58—Support building 

1. A corrugated under-plank intended to be used between board (30) means and a structure element (44) said under-plank comprising: a number of crests (26, 27, 28, 35) and dips (22, 22′) to provide support over said structural element (44), a number of sloping sections (23) to provide a spacing to receive screws (32, 32′) in a so-called zone of screwing (24, 24′), said sloping sections to provide means of drainage of a liquid found on a surface of said board (30) means and around said screws, water infiltrating around said screws seeping in a flow of water towards said dips (22, 22′) and resulting in drainage.
 2. The under-plank of claim 1 being semi-rigid and being placed between said board means and said structural element, said board means being a board covering a floor, a patio, a balcony or a terrace.
 3. The under-plank of claim 1 wherein said crests and said dips are spread a minimum distance of a half-inch and said under-plank is rolled about a ring and over a length greater than the full length of said board in order to be cut to the length of said board to provide the full length without junction.
 4. The under-plank of claim 2 being corrugated according to said crests and said dips, each one of said crests being a point of support.
 5. The under-plank of claim 2 being sufficiently rigid to maintain its form during the screwing and when a significant load is deposited on it, in addition to the weight of people circulating there and of objects which are deposited on a first rank of boards defined as a covering, the form also needing to be maintained above said structural element in order to preserve a function of a sub floor.
 6. The under-plank of claim 1 wherein said zone of drainage of water (22, 22′, 40) is intended to provide means for drainage of rain, water coming from snow melt or water washing accumulating in a natural or artificial way.
 7. The under-plank of claim 1 consisting of an impermeable material to water, the absence of porosity not allowing the passage of liquid through the under-plank.
 8. The under-plank of claim 2 consisting of a material which does not deteriorate upon moisture, solar radiation or freezing and thaw.
 9. The under-plank of claim 4 made according to a central axis and each side thereof crest axes being distributed symmetrically.
 10. The under-plank of claims 2 is formed of crests laid out symmetrically, which implies the disposition according to a regular spacing of boards (30) in order to allow screwing in zones of screwing (24, 24′).
 11. The under-plank of claim 4 whose said crests have a sufficient height to allow the flow of water when it rains abundantly.
 12. The under-plank of claim 1 wherein said zones of drainage comprise interboard joints (40) destined to catch water generally falling between boards.
 13. The under-plank of claim 1 wherein said zone of drainage further comprises a connection zone (41) having a flat dip terminated on a terminating edge (48) which matches a forward edge (36) of a second under-plank in order to allow a variation of 0 to ½ inch spacing between one under-plank and the next one, said variation equal to the variation between two boards (30).
 14. The under-plank of claim 13 wherein said connection zone (41) has a flat bottom (40) allowing a variation in the adjustment of the under-plank thereby making possible adjusting boards for the covering of a patio laid out above said connection zone.
 15. The under-plank of claim 13 wherein said connection zone (41) is located below said board (30) to avoid receiving matter directly from an inter-board thereof.
 16. The under-plank of claim 2 wherein said crests are positioned under a plank in areas for supporting said plank while initiating a slope, while defining accentuated left crests (26, 28), central (27) and widened right side crests (35), said zones of screwing (24, 24′) corresponding to spaces on both sides of left and right crests, widened crests (34, 35) being indicated according to the extent of a zone available for screwing, widened zone of screwing (38, 38′) and an abrupt zone of screwing (42, 42′) being narrower than said widened zone of screwing.
 17. The under-plank of claim 15 wherein said widened zones of screwing (38, 38′) and said abrupt zones of screwing (42, 42′) have a slope of at least 2 degrees which permit water to run out instead of remaining imprisoned between boards (30) and under-plank (20).
 18. The under-plank of claim 15 including supports (54) installed on beams to support said accentuated left crests, central and right (26, 28, 27, 35) while being moulded according to the shape of said crests.
 19. The under-plank of claim 17 wherein said supports (54) are continuous, three supports fixed on a bar pressed against a beam.
 20. A corrugated rigid under-plank intended to be used between a board (30) and a structure element (44) said under-plank comprising: a number of crests (26, 27, 28, 35) comprising a group of widened crests (26, 28, 35) intended to provide spacing to receive screws (32, 32′), in a zone of screwing (24, 24′), and a second zone of screwing (25) intended to receive a screw (27) in the reverse side, a number of dips (22, 22′, 40) to provide support over said structure element (44), and to provide means of drainage of a liquid found on a surface of said board (30), water infiltrating around said screws during screwing or afterwards in said widened higher crests resulting in a flow of water towards said dips (22, 22′), a collection of water in a dip area defining a zone of drainage. 